Response to Group C Prompt

At the beginning of chapter 17 of Into the Wild, author Jon Krakauer refers to the fact that McCandless did not have a topographic map a few times. In fact, McCandless did not have any map at all (174). This brings up the issue of how prepared Chris McCandless was for such an adventure. Krakauer often brings up letters from angry Alaskans or outdoorsmen who wrote letters complaining about this very issue, something that they saw as elementary knowledge and common sense. It is extremely difficult to argue that not having a map is not a sign of being unprepared when going out into the wilderness. However, it is important to note, as Krakauer does, that Chris had no intention of being 'prepared' in a conventional way with modern equipment (174). As we approach the end of the this documentation of McCandless's journey, has your overall view of Chris McCandless changed at all regarding this topic? Do you think that this is a sign of arrogance, ignorance, or just a human being challenging themselves? The chapter appears to be heavily defending Chris's mistakes in the wild, while still acknowledging them. Are Krakauer's methods effective for you in this case?

My view has not changed. As stated in the question, Krakauer says that McCandless had no intention of being prepared. Therefore i believe it is wrong to fault him for his decisions, especially since they didn't harm anyone else. Not to take his death lightly. It was tragic. However, I had believed from the beginning that McCandless was someone who did what he was passionate about, and he should be commended for that. Therefore I believe it was just a sign of a human being challenging themselves. Regarding Krakauer's writing, I found this chapter very effective. It does bring up a lot of the mistakes that Chris made, and I could definitely see where people could get upset with it. But right after that Krakauer addressed the mistake with such conviction that I was back on his side. If you are trying to make people see something one way, then the best way to accomplish that is to rebuke what the others say, and I believe Krakauer did that very effectively in this chapter.